Retro Taiwan lunch boxes milk nostalgia for slow train journeys

Once served as no-frills sustenance for train passengers in Taiwan, simple rice lunch boxes are selling in their millions across the island, a food trend fuelled by nostalgia.

Known as railway biandang, which means “convenience” in Chinese, the meals have changed little over the decades.

Traditionally a pragmatic combination of braised or fried meat and pickles piled onto steamed white rice – ingredients designed to endure long train journeys – they are now seen as an enduring symbol of the “good old days”, when rail travel trumped planes and cars.

While they used to be the preserve of passengers looking for a low-cost meal, now fans are picking them up as comfort food, whether they are taking a journey or not.

The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) expects to sell a record 10 million of the popular lunch boxes this year, pulling in roughly NT$700 million (HK$172 million). The TRA still sells the biandang on trains and in stations – trolleys wend their way through carriages, or passengers can order them in advance.

Private vendors are also cashing in, running their own kiosks in or nearby stations, while convenience store chains now sell “railway style” lunch boxes too.

Originally presented in round metal tins placed under seats for collection when finished, they now usually come in simple paper or wooden containers.

As well as a nostalgia hit, price is still a major draw – the classic combo costs just NT$60.